“Drake is a world-wide phenomenon,” Pupatello gushed in a phone interview on Thursday night. “When you have world-wide phenomenons in your own backyard, you should be using that to enhance business.”

The former MPP for Windsor West name-dropped Drake at a press conference after she unveiled the economic plan she will follow should she win the leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party.

Joking that she’d welcome Drake on her campaign team, Pupatello pointed to the popular rapper as an example of the province’s potential when it comes to the entertainment sector — an area of business that generates $20 billion annually, Pupatello said.

“It is a booming industry, and Ontario has got a lot of talent,” she added.

One of the six steps outlined in Pupatello’s economic plan is encouragement of innovation and entrepreneurship — with specific mention of the province’s “vital cultural industries.”

The plan pledges support for “book and magazine publishing, film and television, interactive digital media, and music industries.”

Pupatello added later that grants and cross-marketing initiatives would be some of the ways the government could help.

According to Pupatello, the benefits to tourism would be enormous.

“Other great cities have done this. Austin, New Orleans, New York,” she said. “There’s no reason Toronto can’t do that as well.”

Although Pupatello admitted to not having any Drake songs on her iPod (she’s more a fan of Ontario country singer Johnny Reid), she described Drake as “a great Canadian.”

“You know, I don’t follow hip-hop. But, obviously, I follow Drake, because Drake is so big,” she said. “Everybody’s heard of Drake. He was at the Junos, for heaven’s sake.”

It’s the third official week of the contest between seven prominent provincial Grits to replace outgoing Premier Dalton McGuinty as leader of the Ontario Liberals.

Ever since Pupatello formally announced she was entering the race, she’s been touting herself as the leadership candidate focused on jobs and the economy.

The plan announced on Thursday reinforced her corporate-friendly image, with promises to cut red tape and keep Ontario “open for business.”

Pupatello said she would continue her party’s agenda of lifting the regulatory and tax burden on businesses, speeding investment into the province.

According to Pupatello, the Ontario Liberals have already eliminated more than 80,000 “unnecessary” regulations — “while also protecting the public interest.”

“Today, our corporate and small business tax rates are very competitive worldwide,” she boasted.

“Government and business must continue to collaborate to eliminate barriers to economic growth.”

The plan also calls for increasing Ontario’s involvement in global trade — especially exports to China and India.

“The status quo is not an option when it comes to Ontario’s export efforts,” Pupatello wrote. “We need to diversify our export markets, with an intense focus on the fast-growing emerging economies.”

Other steps in the plan include supporting job growth in rural areas, continuing to make the energy sector more efficient, and combining resources in regional communities.

Pupatello said later that she’s comfortable with the notion she’s a business-oriented candidate — but she resisted the suggestion that she’s right-of-centre among her field of competitors.

“Of course I’m (corporate-friendly). The Liberal government is corporate-friendly,” she said. “Everyone wants to label me. I’m in the middle of the political spectrum. I’m not left, I’m not right — I’m forward.”

However, Pupatello’s plan wasn’t forward enough for the provincial Tories, who immediately attacked her press release — blasting it as a “do nothing” plan.

“Ontario families want to see a government that is focused on reining in spending and growing the economy, but it is clear that they won’t get this with Sandra Pupatello,” McNaughton said in a release.

According to McNaughton, Pupatello’s program shows she has “no plan to fix the economy” and is “simply a clone of Dalton McGuinty.”

“Nothing will change with Pupatello at the helm,” McNaughton warned.

Asked to respond, Pupatello shot back that McNaughton should try to be more entertaining.

“There are seven candidates running for leader. I don’t know why he’s so focused on me,” she said. “For the Tories to have such a response, it’s just ridiculous. They just don’t know what they’re talking about.”

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